Talking

Baby is really responsive to singing and talking - we've been having some great early morning discussions, peppered with lots of smiles and laughter. And I'm sure she sang a little bit of you are my sunshine back to me the other morning. Jo thinks I'm just delirious from lack of sleep!

This almost makes up for the night waking.

TV babies

Our second morning at the carer's house in Lismore yesterday went well. This time Zoe stayed for 3 hours. I went to the library and tried to busy myself, all the time thinking I could/should be sleeping [we had a tough time of it on the weekend]. As I was leaving Lexie, our lovely carer, told me she was going to prop Zoe in front of the TV for a while. Aarrgghhh!Agonised over this for a while - my understanding is that any TV for the under 3's is not good for their brains - then decided to let it go. This is the 21st century. And geez, what do I expect when the care is costing $3 an hour? I was embarassed at the price. Surely my daughter is worth more?

Teething

After two weeks of serious hand chewing, gum gnashing and dribbling I have come to the conclusion that Zoe is teething. It's kind of early, but the evidence is a solid little lump under her front top gum. Problem is that she would rather chew my hand [dummies just don't cut it anymore] than feed most of the time. Although, as you can see from this photo, lack of nutrition is not a problem. Looking very 'cool' in the furry jacket GAC has sent. Only problem is, she wants to chew it...

Zoe's Grandma [in Scotland] thinks I should be considering giving her solids, or at least a bottle of formula, last thing at night to help her sleep through. I appreciate Grandma's concern, but again, hunger is not really an issue. I think her night waking, which I'm relaxed and generally unconcerned about, is to do with pooing or maybe teething, or even just habit. There is also research that shows that frequent mother-baby contact [gained mostly through co-sleeping] is good for babies' brain development. If not for Mum's.

Good girl

Daycare went very well. Zoe wasn't upset by the arrangement, and Mummy coped well too. I spent about 1/2 an hour at Lexie's house with Zoe before leaving [for two hours] and when I arrived back, which I hope helped. Bubba even slept for an hour in a big girl's cot! I know that there will be tears at some stage - apparently the 6 month mark - but by then she'll be in familiar surrounds.

Achieved nothing in the time I was at Uni - not even a coffee at the library - but gossiped and politicked a bit. Will plan to at least borrow a book from the library next week.

Separation anxiety

Aunty Sally, Uncle Wonder and Ella babysat Zoe on Friday night for a few hours, while Ewan and I went out in Byron for dinner. We were gone for 3 hours, and that was enough for me! Zoe did have a fitful 15 minutes part-way through the night, maybe due to the fact that I wasn't there to settle her, but AS and UW coped admirably, and she was asleep when we came to pick her up.

Tomorrow is a bigger test - we are 'trialling' family day care for Zoe. I am very nervous, but am sure that this is the right thing to do, given that I have to get back to studying in some capacity. Soon. So the plan is to drive Zoe to Lismore with me, where she will be cared for by an older lady who I know, who lives next to the Uni, and who has cared for a friend's children. Maybe tomorrow I will only leave her there for an hour or two. Same the following week. Then we'll have two weeks off for the school holidays, and re-evaluate after that. The boob juice is pumped and ready to go. Wish us luck!

Congratulations to Dave and Colette on the birth of their little boy Jake in Lismore on Thursday 15th. I had forgotten how little and wrinkly newborn babies are! Although the 13 weeks between them seems enormous at the moment, I'm sure that Jake will be beating up on Zoe [in a good, brotherly kind of way] before too long.

Pictures - 3 months old

Here's a picture of Zoe with her Pa, with Colette, and in one of Aunty Julie's cute outfits.

Topsy turvy

Methinks baby Zoe is having a 'growth spurt' at the moment. That's the only explanation I have for the relatively erratic feeding times and accompanying grizzles. Wish it all didn't happen between 130am and 530am though. Great news is that she seems to have some control over her hands - is starting to independently gripping things such as blankets/clothes and her dog toy [likeness of a dog, not designed for one].

My Dad, Zoe's Pa, is visiting at the moment, which is lovely for the both of them. Luckily for Pa, Zoe is willing to be cradled in his arm or sit on his lap for extended periods of time while he reads the papers or watches the news on TV, without too much complaint. This is how I think Dad expects babies to behave. Shame he is always out or asleep when she is at her most beligerent. Will post a photo of the two of them soon.

Sleepless

Little Zoe gave us our first [largely] sleepless night in a long time last night. Either the takeaway coffee I had at 4pm was not really decaffinated or the stress of househunting - and considering putting an offer in on a rural block of land - was being transferred to her somehow. Maybe both. As suggested by Jo [see previous post], I really should be directing my energies elsewhere, such as re-starting my PhD...

I did call into the Family Daycare office yesterday to discuss finding bubba a childcare place. The longer I talked with the staff about it, the more I realised that being separated from Zoe, even for 4 hours a week, is not something I particularly want to do. But then there is the small matter of the aforementioned PhD. Must be heartbreaking for mothers who need to go back to full time work early after the birth.